WILLIAMSVILLE, Ill. - The Quincy University women's volleyball team battled wire-to-wire in the 2025 GLVC Tournament Championship but ultimately fell in a hard-fought 3–1 match to the top-seeded and 25th-ranked Missouri–St. Louis Tritons. In three of the four sets, the Hawks held late leads and controlled long stretches of play, but UMSL's composure in high-pressure moments, combined with several costly QU errors, proved to be the deciding factor as the Tritons claimed their first GLVC Tournament title in program history.

The opening set saw both teams trading points early until the frame locked at 10–10. Quincy then strung together an impressive five-point run, capitalizing on a pair of Triton errors along with two clean kills to take command. The Hawks continued to apply pressure and eventually stretched the advantage to 22–16 after a strong swing from Susanna Beretti put QU firmly in control. But the tone of the match shifted quickly. UMSL responded with a stunning 9–1 run to steal the set 25–23, fueled largely by six Quincy errors in that stretch alone. While neither team was particularly efficient offensively in the opener, the numbers told the story: the Hawks committed 10 attack errors to the Tritons' 1, giving UMSL the opening punch in the championship.

In set two, UMSL's momentum carried over as both teams opened evenly and sat tied at 9–9. The Tritons then erupted for a pivotal six-point run, highlighted by three consecutive kills from standout attacker Alayna Sentel. Quincy continued to battle but never fully overcame the gap, despite hitting an impressive .333 with 13 kills and only two errors in the frame. UMSL, however, was simply red-hot offensively, terminating 17 balls at a .405 clip while limiting themselves to just two errors. The Tritons closed the set on a 4–1 push to take a 2–0 lead and place QU firmly on the ropes.

Needing a spark in set three, the Hawks delivered with their best start of the afternoon. Quincy surged ahead 9–3 behind kills from Selin Turgut and several rare UMSL misfires. But the Tritons punched back quickly, engineering a 6–1 run to close the gap. From that point, the set turned into a heavyweight exchange, with neither team backing down. Quincy rebuilt a 21–17 lead late, seemingly poised to force a fourth, but once again UMSL countered with a powerful run, this time a 7–2 burst, to arrive at set point with a 24–23 advantage. The Hawks showed tremendous resilience and turned to their star, as Beretti buried a clutch kill to extend the set. After UMSL earned another set-point chance at 25–24, QU held strong and delivered three straight points, including a decisive kill from Janelle Pye-Blacknard, to win the frame 27–25. UMSL's eight attack errors in the set played a major role in keeping Quincy alive and shifting momentum back to the Hawks.

Set four showcased two elite teams at their absolute best. Neither side managed a run larger than two points, as both offenses sided out at exceptional rates. Every swing mattered, and every defensive stand carried weight. Quincy once again positioned itself well with a late 22–19 lead, fueled by strong terminal swings and a clean side-out rhythm. But for the third time in the match, UMSL mounted a late charge when it mattered most. A kill followed by two QU errors tied the set at 22 all. Beretti then hammered home her 20th kill to give the Hawks a 23–22 lead, but UMSL responded with three consecutive kills to close out the match, clinch the championship, and secure its automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Despite the loss, the Hawks turned in several strong statistical performances. Quincy hit .237 overall with 63 kills, highlighted by a .333 team effort in the second set and 18 kills in both the opening and closing frames. The Hawks received balanced production across the roster, led by a massive showing from Susanna Beretti, who finished with 20 kills and 21 digs. Janelle Pye-Blacknard was dominant at the net with 17 kills on .385 hitting, providing consistent termination all match long and delivering the set-three winner. Erin Matzke turned in one of her most efficient outings of the season, hitting .471 with 9 kills and just one error, while Selin Turgut added a key double-double performance with 10 kills and 16 digs. Setter Elena Kasavica directed the offense with 49 assists while adding 12 digs, two aces, and two block assists, and libero Lilly Marth anchored the back row with 16 digs.

With the GLVC Tournament now complete, Quincy shifts its attention to the NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Selection Show, scheduled for tomorrow at 6:30 PM. Entering the week ranked sixth in the Midwest Region, the Hawks are well-positioned to secure one of the eight regional bids and will look to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season.